How an Asian Confectionery Brand Gauged Children’s Preferences

It is extremely important to decide the right research approach for those studies which are unique in nature and require full attention to extract meaningful insights. However, wrong approach can create fiasco for companies in product development and its success.
Moreover, identifying an accurate target audience and conducting research with them is not only the final stage of the story. Nevertheless, the approach also plays a pivotal role in order to extract reliable and true information.

A confectionery based organization was in a dilemma how to study “Children Preference and Perception towards Confectionery Items”. An organization wanted to extract information needs derived from its research objectives to be studied for that particular topic.
The main idea was to understand why, when, where and in how much quantity children purchase confectionery items. In order to approach for the idea different methodologies were discussed to extract desired objectives to be met for studying the perception of children.

The methodologies were discussed with the client were as follows:

Ethnographic Studies

Focus Group Discussions

In-house visits

May others

However, the one which clicked client’s mind was “Stimulated Tuck Shop Observation-Methodology” this methodology was proposed to the client after various sessions of brainstorming. The methodology was based upon following steps for its implementation:

Permission was taken from school management for the entire activity

Ten Schools were recruited in three targeted cities of Studies, i.e. Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad

In each school a simulated tuck shop was established

Each simulated tuck shop was stocked with confectionery items specific to candies and biscuits

A coupon of Rs. 30 was prepared and applied to the target audience (class 3, class 4 and class 5 students)

At recess time fieldwork was conducted in each school, a coupon of Rs. 30 was provided to each student and ask them to purchase any items from the tuck shop

Their entire behaviour was observed and recorded in a movie camera for report writing purpose

After purchase an face to face interview was conducted with each student

The methodology helped the research agency to develop true findings for clients with the mixture of dual approach to understand the preference and perception of students. The findings of the study were insightful and cleared client’s dilemma for its future product development in candies and biscuit along with its marketing strategies.

The influence of advertisement was noticed at a higher level across the targeted cities of the study. Students were more influenced, attracted and pushed towards the product through scrupulous communicated advertisement. The percentage of awareness from advertisement was more than 75% and incitement of attractive packaging was 65%. The perception of children towards biscuits and candies were all different, but the majority of children purchased cream filled biscuits from providing coupon than that of candies.

Therefore, it is remarked that coming up with out of the box methodologies would be beneficial for clients in developing future strategies for their products. As advertising agencies are famous to be called Brand Custodian, now therefore market Research Agencies also are watching the same lane of advertising agencies to be called Brand Custodian.

About Faisal Shaikh

Faisal works as an Assistant Manager-Client Services Team with GfK, a global marketing research company ranked #1 in Retail Audit and Technology. He will be sharing knowledge related to consumer research and retail audit and its significant role in developing brands and keep track of changing behavior and attitude of consumers.

Faisal Ali Shaikh

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